Shade roller operating device



vDe ..5, 1959 A F. H. ToMs SHADE ROLLEE OPERATING DEVICE Filed June 6, 1947 Bnventor (ttornegs Patented Dec. 5, 1950 UNITED STATES F,

YTENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to shade rollers, and in particular to operating mechanisms for shade rollers.

One object of this invention is to provide an operating mechanism for a shade roller which will operate smoothly andv dependably to halt the shade roller at any desired point, or to cause it to wind up the roller blind smoothly and rapidly, at the will of the operator.

Another object is to provide an operating mechanism for a shade roller which will provide a Another object is to provide an operating mechanism for a shade roller, as set forth in the object immediately preceding, wherein the pawl has a weighted hook and which engages the cam or ratchet wheel, and it slightly overbalances the weight of the remainder of the pawl on the opposite side or" its pivot, so that the action of gravity will cause the hook portion to engage and lock the cam or ratchet when the hook portion is uppermost, whereas centrifugal force will counterbalance the gravitational force and unlock the cam or ratchet when the hook portion is underneath the cam or ratchet and the roller is rotated rapidly upward from that point.

Another object is to provide an operating mechanism for a shade roller, as set forth in the preceding objects, having elements which do not accidentally slip, but which releasably lock when it is desired to halt the shade roller at any particular location, the shade roller being wound up by means of a spring within the roller barrel when the pawl is released from the cam or ratchet.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation, partly in central vertical longitudinal section, of a shade roller having an improved operating mechanism, according to a preferred iorm of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a left-hand end elevation of the the parts thereof in their locked positions;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section along the line 3--3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-section along the line li-li in Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a left-hand elevation of the roller operating mechanism, similar to Figure 2, but showing the parts in their unlocked positions, whereby the shade roller may be freely rolled up.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figure 1 shows a shade roller, generally designated I0, having at its left-hand end the novel operating mechanism, generally designated i l, which is the subject of the present invention. The shade roller di? consists of the usual barrel I2, customarily of wood and having at its right-hand end a cap i3 which carries a pin i4 of circular cross-section, secured in the end of the cap i3. The pin lil is journaled in the usual bore l5 in the central portion It of an arm Il forming part of an L-shaped bracket lil, which is secured in the usual way to the window frame.

Mounted on the barrel i2 is the usual roller blind l@ of sheet material, such as fabric, and secured at its inner end by any suitable means, such as carpet tacks (not shown). The barrel i2 is provided with an axial bore 26 which extends inward to an end wall 2l (Figure 1) and which is closed at its outer end by a cap 22 having indentations 23 penetrating the wood and locking the cap 22 in position. The end wall of the cap 22 is provided with a bore 25 in which is mounted a bushing LThe inner end of the bushing 26 is anged, and its outer end liared into a conical opening 2l in a supporting disc 28, so as to secure the disc 28 firmly and iixedly to the end wall of the end cap 22. A rivet 23a (Figure 3) passing through the disc 8 and end wall 24 prevents relative rotation therebetween. Journaled in the bore 29 of the bushing 26 (Figure l) is a shaft or pin 35 of rectangular cross-section, as seen from a comparison of Figures l and Y3, and the end elevation of Figures 2 and 5.

The pin 3E is pointed at its inner end 3i, to enable it to be driven into the end of a rod 32 of wood or the like. A cup-shaped ferrule 33' covers the outer end of the rod 32 and is bored centrally for the passage of the shaft or pin 30. The ferrule 33 is provided with a pair of bentover projections 34 diametrically opposite one another and serving as an anchorage for the outer end of a coil spring 35. The coil spring S5 is of such diameter as to fit freely into the bore 2@ `of the barrel i2, and has its inner end anchored as at 36 to a plug 3l of wood or the like occupying the inner end of the bore 2li and secured therein as by the mark 38. The plug 3'I is provided with a cylindrical recess or cavity 39 in which the inner end of the rod 32 is rotatably journaled.

Mounted on the pin or shaft 3 of rectangular cross-section and outwardly from the supporting disc 2S is a'multi-lobe cam or ratchet wheel 46 (Figure 2) having a multiplicity of teeth or lobes 4i, each of which has an outwardly curving portion i2 and a radially shouldered portion 43. The ratchet wheel or cam 4G is, of course, provided with an elongated central hole fitting the elongated cross-section of the pin or shaft 30, the latter being widened, as at 44, to retain the ratchet or cam 45 in position. The shaft or pin 3Q at its outer end is slightly narrowed, as at 45, and fits into a slot 45 in an arm 47 of a conventional end `bracket 'it of angle or L-'shaped form. The brackets I8 and 48 are secured to the window frame in any suitable manner, as by fasteners 49.

Mounted near the periphery of the supporting disc 33 is a pivot pin 55 which passes through a hole i in a C-shaped pawl 52, so as to pivotally mount the latter upon the former. The pawl 52 has a beak-like hooked end 53 at one end thereof, with a point 54 engageable with the ratchet portions 43. The hook portion 53 is thickened, as shown Figure 3, to give it increased weight. The remainder of the pawl 52 between the edge of the thickened or weighted hook portion 53 is relatively thin and encircles the cam or ratchet `wheel '55, and is provided with a cutaway portion 55 (Figures 2 and 5) for that purpose. The pawl 52 remote from its pivot 5E and pointed or hooked portion 53, is of reduced width and is provided with a movable stop portion 5i which is of approximately U-shaped form, and which interlocks with an approximately U-shaped fixed stop member 5S (Figures 2 and 5).

The movable and fixed stops 5l and 58 are provided with ends 5S and 66 respectively, which are so angled as to atly engage one another (Figure 5) when the hook portion 53 swings around its vpivot pin 5B out of engagement with the radiallyshouldered portions 43 of the cam or ratchet wheel 4Q. The shank Si of the fixed stop 58 is provided with a widened base portion 52 which is secured by fasteners, such as rivets 53, to the supporting disc 28.

In the operation of the shade roller l0, equipped with the improved operating mechanism il of the present invention, let it be assumed that the roller blind I9 is at the top 0f its run so as t0 be fully wound upon the barrel I2. To draw the shade the user merely grasps the roller blind I9 and pulls downward upon it, rotating the barrel i2. As the barrel I2 rotates in a counterclockwise direction (Figures 2 and 5) the ratchet wheel or cam 45 remains fixed, due to the locked engagement ef the pin or shaft 3S in the slot 45 of the bracket 48. During rotation of the disc 2t with the roller i2, the C-Shaped pawl 52 rotates around the fixed cam or ratchet wheel 4d, the pointed or hooked portion 53 slipping over the curved portions i2 of the teeth 4I and clicking past the shoulder portions 43 thereof. Thus, the roller blind E9 may be drawn freely downward toits full length without encountering any substantial resistance.

When the roller blind i9 is released, the weighted hoo-k portion 53 moves around the ratchet wheel di) until it arrives above the latter, whereupon its overbalancing weight will cause its point 54 to drop into engagement with one of the upper-most shouldered portions 53 of the teeth 4I, the coil spring 35 forcing these into locking engagement, To unlock the shade roller and permit it to move upward, the operator pulls downward upon the roller blind I9 until the weighted hook portion 53 moves underneath the cam or ratchet 40. The over-balancing weight of the hook portion 53 then causes it to swing downward, as shown in Figure 5, causing the point 54 to disengage itself from the shouldered portion 43 of the teeth 4I with which it was previously engaged. This releases the locking engagement between the pawl 52 and ratchet 40, whereupon the operator releases the roller blind I9 while still retaining a grip upon it, so that the roller .blind I9 moves upward with a rapid motion.

As a consequence of the rapid rotation of the barrel I2 and disc 28, centrifugal force acting on the weighted hook portion 53 develops as the latter moves from beneath to above the ratchet 4S and counteracts the effect of gravity, causing the point 54 to remain above the teeth 4I as it passes over the top of them, preventing locking therebetween.

If, however, the operator desires to halt the shade roller at any intermediate point, he merely pulls back on the roller blind I5 against the urge of the spring 35 to roll it up, causing the rotation of the barrel I2 to slow down. When this occurs, the centrifugal force acting upon the weighted hook portion 53 diminishes to the point where the weight of the portion 53 overbalances it, causing the point 54 to drop into engagement with one of the shoulders 43 on one of the upper teeth 4 I. This locks the shade roller in its intermediate position.

Thus, when the shade roller is released so as to move upward rapidly, centrifugal force overcomes the gravity upon the weighted portion 53 and permits the mechanism to remain unlocked. If, however, the operator slows down the winding up of the roller blind I9, the centrifugal force is reduced to the point where the weight of the weighted portion 53 overbalances and locking occurs.

What I claim is:

1. An operating device for a shade roller having an internal operating spring and shaft, said operating device comprising a ratchet wheel connected to said shaft and having multiple teeth thereon, a pawl pivotally mounted on the end of said roller and having a shank extending partway around the periphery of said ratchet wheel, said pawl having a weighted tip engageable with the teeth of said ratchet wheel, and a fixed stop on the end of said roller engageable with said pawl for limiting the pivotal motion thereof, said shank having a hooked end portion engaging said stop.

2. An operating device for a shade roller having an internal operating spring and shaft, said operating device comprising a ratchet wheel connected to said shaft and having multiple teeth thereon, a pawl pivotally mounted on the end of said roller and having a shank extending partway around the periphery of said ratchet wheel, said pawl having a weighted tip engageable with the teeth of said ratchet wheel, and a stop on the end of said roller engageable with said pawl for limiting the pivotal motion thereof, said stop having a hooked end portion and said shank also having a hooked end portion engageable with the hooked end portion of said stop.

3. An operating device for a shade roller having an internal operating spring and shaft, said operating device comprising a ratchet wheel connected to said shaft and having multiple teeth thereon, a pawl pivotally mounted on the end of said roller and having a shank extending partway around the periphery of said ratchet Wheel, said pawl having a Weighted tip engageable with the teeth of said ratchet Wheel, and a stop on the end of said roller` engageable with said pawl for limiting the pivotal motion thereof, said stop and said shank having approximately c-shaped end portions lying one Within the other with their extremities in engagement with one another in the unlocked position of said pawl.

4. An operating device for a shade roller having an internal operating spring and shaft, said operating device comprising a ratchet Wheel connected to said shaft and having multiple teeth thereon, a pawl pivotally mounted on the end of said roller and having a shank extending part- Way around the periphery of said ratchet Wheel, said pawl having a tip engageable with the teeth of said ratchet Wheel, and a stop on the end of said roller engageable with said pawl for limiting the pivotal motion thereof, said shank having a hooked end portion engageable with said stop, the tip of said pawl having a weight thereon arranged to overbalance the Weight of the shank of said pawl on the opposite side of the pivot thereof.

5. An operating device for a shade roller` having an internal operating spring and shaft, said operating device comprising a ratchet Wheel connected to said shaft and having multiple teeth thereon, a pawl pivotally mounted on the end of said roller and having a shank extending partway around the periphery of said ratchet wheel, said pawl having a tip engageable with the teeth of said ratchet Wheel, and a stop on the end of said roller engageable with said pawl for limiting the pivotal motion thereof, said stop having a hooked end portion and said shank also having a hooked end portion engageable with the hooked end portion of said stop, the tip of said pawl having a weight thereon arranged to overloalance the weight of the shank of said pawl on the opposite side of the pivot thereof.

6. An operating device for a shade roller having an internal operating spring and shaft, said operating device comprising a ratchet Wheel connected to said shaft and having multiple teeth thereon, a pawl pivotally mounted on the end of said roller and having a shank extending part- Way around the periphery of said ratchet wheel, said pawl having a tip engageable with the teeth of said ratchet Wheel, and a stop on the end of said roller engageable with said pawl for limiting the pivotal motion thereof, said stop and said shank having approximately C-shaped end portions lying one Within the other with their extremities in engagement with one another in the unlocked position of said pawl, the tip of said pawl having a Weight thereon arranged to overbalance the weight of the shank of said pawl on the opposite side of the pivot thereof.

7. An operating device for a shade roller having an internal operating spring and shaft, said operating device comprising a ratchet wheel connected to said shaft and 'having multiple teeth thereon, a pawl pivotally mounted on the end of said roller and having a shank extending part- Way around the periphery of said ratchet Wheel, said pawl having a Weighted tip engageable with the teeth of said ratchet Wheel, and a stop on the end of said roller engageable with said pawl for limiting the pivotal motion thereof, said stop and said shank having approximately C-shaped end portions lying one within the other with their extremities in engagement with one another in the unlocked position of said pawl, said extremities being inclined relatively to the adjacent portions of said stop and said shank respectively.

FRANK H. TOMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 826,284 Smith et al July 17, 1906 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 591,576 France Apr. 14, 1925 

